iGEN regularly sponsors deserving individuals and charities as a way of giving back to the community. On 23rd June 2023, iGEN invited four organisations to present their charitable work, with the aim of securing sponsorship from our members. The four organisations were Malta Community Chest Foundation, Puttinu Cares, Foodbank Lifeline Foundation and the newly formed Malta Ranger Unit, and each had a 15-minute slot to present.

Mr George Vella, President of the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation, gave a presentation of his organisation’s charitable work, which consists of improving the quality of life and care of individuals and society in general, without any form of discrimination on the basis of social class, gender identity, age, ability, health, status or religion, and which is funded entirely by donations.

“There was a time when we catered for the needs of those who need to get to the end of the month, but eventually the idea came about that the organisation should start to support people who needed medicines which were not on the government formulary,” Vella said of the work of the MCCF, which is today registered as a foundation and has its own CEO and supervisory bodies.

“Initially, the support was quite small. In 2015, the money spent on medicines was less than €1 million. In 2018, it had gone up to €8 million. Last year it was €20 million. Why? More and more medicines have come into the market but every new product has phenomenally high prices,” he explained.

“What worries me is that many people take it for granted, that the money never ends and it’s a government department – which it isn’t. It has to survive on funding,” he continued. Their work covers:

The Medical Assistance Unit:

Specialised medicine for severe chronic illness and cancer;

Specialised treatment for rare diseases;

Accommodation, transport and subsistence for patients receiving treatment abroad, and their accompanying relatives.

Families in need are supported with:

Household appliances

Food vouchers

Other miscellaneous items

Rockestra, organized by The Malta Community Chest Fund together with a number of volunteers, is not just a rock concert, but an event with a noble cause that brings together people from different walks of life. The ultimate aim of this event is to raise funds for The Malta Community Chest Fund

Persons with disability are supported with:

Financing specialised equipment and other facilities;

Funding the cost of specialised therapy programmes for children with disabilities, and whose parents have financial constraints

Human hair wigs

The Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation receives donations of human hair. The hair is made into wigs by experts abroad, funded by the Foundation, and donated to persons with diverse medical conditions.

The MCCFF budget in aid for individuals and families is well over a million euros a month, including funding 40 different types of chemotherapy treatments. Food vouchers cost the Foundation tens of thousands per month – these vouchers are given to families, usually with children, who do not have the means to buy basic food and other products that allow them to live a decent life.

The MCCFF also funds parents of children, or relatives of people who are receiving medical treatment abroad and who, for whatever reason, cannot be alone. The Foundation pays for flights and gives daily food and transport allowances.

Read more: https://www.mccff.org.mt/en/